Sylvania



(No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 1.

J. A. WILLS 8v L. E. JORDAN.

' LATRINE.

No. 573.744. Patented Deo. 22, 189,6.

Mi gi (No Model.) 2 sheets-sheet 2.v

J. AY. WILLSQSU L. E. JORDAN. LATRINE.

No. 55725344.l Patented'nec. 22, 1896.

UNITED STATES PATENT OEEICE.

JAMES A. IVILLS, OF PHILADELPHIA, AND LLFVELLYN E. JORDAN, OFIVILKINSBURG, PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIGNORS TO THE SMEAD t WILLS 'WARNING ANDVENTILATING COMPANY, OF PHILADELPHIA, PENN- SYLVANIA.

LATRINE.

SPECIFICATION formingpart of Letters Patent No. 573,744.1, datedDecember 22, 1896.

Application led July 25, 1896. Serial No. 600,483. (No model.)

To all whom, t may concern:

Be it known that we, JAMES A. WILLs, residing at Philadelphia, in thecounty of Philadelphia, and LLEWELLYN E. JORDAN, residing atIVilkinsburg, in the county of Allegheny, State of Pennsylvania,citizens of the United States, have invented certain new andusefulImprovements in Latrines, of which the following is aspecifi-cation. A

Our present invention relates to wat-erclosets of that class used inpublic buildings, such as schools, hospitals, depots, the., and known aslatrinesg and the invention consists in a novel form of the sectionscomposing the body of the vessel or trough, in an arrangement ofwater-pipes within the same with an automatic flushing device, and inmeans for securing a thorough and constant ventilation of the latrine,all as hereinafter fully set forth.

Figure lis a top plan view, and Fig. 2 a front elevation, of theapparatus as set ready for use. Fig. 3 is a perspective view of asection (shown detached) and the draft-regulating valve. Fig. et is atransverse vertical section on the line a: .fr of Fig. 2, showing the\fentilatingduct projecting above the seats; Fig. 5, a similar Viewshowing the duct below the seats. Fig. G is a perspective view of aportion of the end section, showing the form' of the inlet-pipe.

The object of our invention is. to provide a latrine that can be keptthoroughly cleansed with a minimum quantity of water, and which shall bethoroughly and continuously ventilated, and in which these operationsshall be automatic when once adjusted and put in operation.

To accomplish these results, we construct the latrine or body A of thetrough of a series of cast-iron sections I of the form shown in theseveral figures, Fig. 3 showing one of the end sections detached andFig. 2 showing a series of these sections united. In Figs. L

and 5 the form of these sections is shown in cross-section, in which itwill be seen that the frontwall is considerably inclined, while the rearwall is nearly vertical, the two walls being united bya curved bottomportion,whieh is very much narrowed, the object being to so form thisbottom portion thatasmall quantity of water will suffice to fill it atthe point where the fecal matter is deposited, as represented in Figs. 4and 5. These sections I have their bottoms p curved longitudinally also,as shown in Figs. 2 and 3, thereby forming a slight depression or cavityin which a small quantity of water will be held after the flushing hastaken place, as shown at the right-hand end of Fig. 2, where two of themare shown in section to illustrate this fact.

Each of the sections I is provided at its front with two openings n forthe admission of air, these being located one near each end, so as toleave an unbroken wall at the center of the front opposite the hole inthe seat. On their rear side they are provided with a projecting spoutor nose b, as shown in Figs. 3, 4, and 5, to connect with aVentilating-duct D at the rear. This Ventilating-duct D is preferablymade of galvanized iron and may be located below the level of the seats,as represented in Fig. 5, or may project above, as represented in Fig.4, or be placed below the floor, if desired.

In order to secure a uniform draft through each and all of the sectionsI, the duct D is made of increasing area from the extreme or end sectionto the point where it is connected to the vent-shaft V, as representedin Figs. l and 2. Ordinarily the draft would be strongest through thosesections nearest the vent stack or shaft, more especially when the1atrine is made very long; and as a means of regulating the draft ateach spout b we secure within the spout b or at its mouth a metallicvalve or diaphragm t, as represented in Figs. 3, 4, and 5. This may besimply a piece of galvanized iron, soldered or riveted at its upper edgeto the wall of the. duct where the latter covers the spout b, as shown,or in any similar manner, it being of a size sufficient to nearly closethe spout or air-passage when in a vertical or closed position.

' After the air-duct has been connected to the vent-stack, so that thedraft at the various spouts can be tested, the several diaphragms orvalves o will be adjusted by bending them so as to make the passagethrough the spouts more or less, as may be required, in order to IOOequalize the draft through them all, this bend ing or adjustment beingindicated by dotted lines in Figs. 4 and 5. This adjustment can bequickly made, and when once made does not need to be changed. If,however, a change should be required for any reason, it can be instantlydone by simplybending, pushing, or drawing the diaphragm or valveoutward or inward, according as it may be desired to increase ordecrease the draft at any particular spout. It is obvious that thesevalves might be hinged and be held where adjusted by friction or othermeans, but the plan described is preferred, because the valve is lessliable to be moved when once adjusted.

In practice we find that it is not necessary to put a valve in all ofthe outlets b, as those farthest from the stack will naturally have lessdraft or current than those near the stack; but as a matter ofprecaution we prefer to provide all or nearly all the outlets with them,as it is so little trouble to open them where they are not required.

The vent-shaft extends out through the roof of the building, is made ofan area sufficient to carry a large volume of air, and to insure astrong draft it is provided with a small stove or heater H, of anysuitable kind, as represented in Figs. l and L. This heater may belocated either at the base of the stack V or at some distance above, asmay be most convenient, it serving in either case to rarefy the airabove it and thereby produce a strong upward current and drawing aircontinuously through the several openings fn, into and through theseveral sections of the latrine, and from thence through the spouts binto the duct D, and then ce into and up the vent-stack V to the outeratmosphere.

By making the duct and vent-shaft of the proper capacity or area astrong draft is drawn through the latrine throughout its entire length,whether the lids L be opened or closed, and thus all odor is completelycarried away, and at the same time the draft of airvfrom the room inwhich the latrine is located keeps the room thoroughly ventilated andfree from foul odors, a result of great importance, more especially inschool-buildings, where a large number of children are confined forhours at a time, and where, as a general rule, these latrines arelocated in the basement-rooms, from which noxious odors and gases willnaturally ascend to and perineate the halls and rooms of the bnildingabove.

It is obvious that where electric or other power is at hand a fanlocated at the mouth of duct D or in the shaft V above may be usedinstead of the stack-heater to create a draft; but as this is awell-known equivalent and in common use we have not thought it necessaryto show it, the only requisite in this respect being that means shall beused to secure a strong draft.

lVhile we have shown the Ventilating-duct connected to the stack at oneend, it is obvious that it may be connected at any other point, as, forinstance, midway of the length of the duct, it only being necessary thatthe area of the duct shall be increased from its closed ends to thepoint where it connects with the ventilating-shaft to insure a draftthrough all the openings n and spouts I), as before explained.

The point of connection, as well as the 1ocation of the d uct D, willnecessarily depend on the location of the Ventilating-shaft and the mostconvenient position for locating the latrine in the room or building,and as these will vary in different buildings these matters must be leftto the decision of the builder and engineer or architect in charge. Insome cases it may be desirable or necessary to build the duct Dunderground, and which may be done by simply using suitable pipes toconnect the several spouts b with the duct below, as indicated bydottedlines in Fig. 4. These are mere mechanical details to be variedaccoi-ding to circumstances and do not in any manner change the resultor mode of operation.

In order to secure a frequent flushing of the latrine, we connect to itan automatic flushing device of any suitable kind, one of the simplestbeing that shown in Fig. 2. It consists of a water-tight box or case C,in which is pivoted a water-tank F of such form that when filled it willtip automatically and deliver its contents into the case C, from whencethe water will iiow through the pipe J, Fig. 2, into and through thelatrine, carrying with it the deposits out at the opposite end into thedischarge or outlet pipe O, which connects with the sewer, with a trapinterposed, in the usual manner.

The tank or pan is so pivoted and weighted that when emptied it will atonce resume its former position ready to be again filled by thesupply-pipe a, which will of course be provided with a valve by whichthe flow of the water can be regulated, and thereby regulatetheintervals of flushing. This or any other form of automaticflushing-tank may be used, there being a great variety of such, but thisbeing a simple and eiiicient device for the purpose we prefer to use it.

The inlet-pipe J, which connects the flushing-tank with the latrine, ismade of peculiar shape, as shown in Figs. 3 and G. As there shown, itwill be seen that it changes from the circular to an oval form, themouth or point where it enters the latrine being very much widerlaterally than it is vertically, as shown clearly in Fig. G, the objectbeing to cause the water to spread out laterally and assume a fan shapeas it enters-the latrine. By this means not only the extreme bottom butalso the side walls for some distance upward on each side of the centerare thoroughly washed at each flushing, thereby insuring the removal ofall adhering particles, if any, and keeping the walls clean.

In order to keep the walls of the latrine IOO above clean and free fromodors, we arrange a perforated pipe c along each side near the top, asshown in Figs. 3, 4, and 5 and in dotted lines in Fig. l, these pipesbeing supported on brackets f, cast on the walls, as shown in Figs. 3,4, and 5. They may be supplied with water by a branch pipe e, connectingwith the supply-piped, as shown in Figs. l and 2, or from any otherconvenient source. A valve Z in the branch pipe e, Fig. 2, serves toregulate the supply of water to these pipes c, it being necessary to useonly enough water to keep the walls constantly wet, so that the waterwill trickle down in a thin film.

By the construction and arrangement of the several parts and devices asherein shown and described we are enabled to produce a latrine which inpractice is found to operate perfectly with the best of results. Bymaking them of sections in the manner shown latrines of any desiredlength can be produced to suit any style or size of building, and by thepeculiar form of the several sections each will always retain a smallquantity of water, sufficient to prevent the adhesion of the deposits,leaving them free to be entirely removed from all the sections at eachflushing, the slight undulations of the bottom not interfering with thewashing out of the deposits. At the same time the perforated pipes keepthe walls clean and free from odors, and serve to keep the cavities ordepressions in the bottoni supplied with Water after the flushing hasoccurred, while the means for producing an evenly-distributed draftthroughout the entire length of the latrine not only carries off anyodors that may be created, but at the same time insures a thoroughventilation of the room in which the latrine may be located, andprevents foul odors or gases from permeatin g other portions of thebuilding.

XVe are aware that a latrine has been patented in which the depressionsin its bottom are curved longitudinally' and transversely and arearranged successively in different planes after the manner of a seriesof steps; but in the construction shown the longitudi nal curve beingmuch more abrupt at one end than at the other causes the deepest portionof the water to be near one end instead of at the center, and thedepressions being ar ranged in different planes necessitates the placingof the seats and the iioor or platform below it at different elevations,both of which results are objectionable for various reasons. By ourconstruction we avoid both of these features. The depressions being ofuniform curvature at each end secures the greatest depth of water at thecenter, and all being in the same horizontal plane, with a slightinclination only, (the force and velocity of the water rather than theinclination serving to remove the deposits,) enables the seats and thefloor or platform to be arranged in a single horizontal plane.

Having thus described our invention, what we claim isl. A latrine havinga series of depressions in its bottom, said depressions beingtransversely and longitudinally curved, the longitudinal curvature beinguniform at the opposite ends of each depression, and all being arrangedin the same horizontal plane, substantially as shown and described,whereby the bottom forms a continuous horizontal undulated surface fromend to end, free from transverse ribs, angles, or steps, as set forth.

A latrine having its bottom provided with a series of longitudinally andtransversely curved surfaces forming a series of shallow depressions,all arranged in the same horizontal plane, in combination with an inletor flushing pipe having its mouth made of an elliptical form with itsgreater diameter arranged transversely of the latrine, the mouth of saidpipe being arranged to deliver the water horizontally in the line of thelonger axis of the latrine, substantially as shown and described.

3. A latrine composed of a series of sections, each section beingprovided with one or more air-inlets at its front under the seat, and anair-outlet at the rear, in combination with an air-duct connecting withall of saidair-outlets and with avent-stack provided with means fordrawing air continuously through the same, substantially as shown anddescribed.

4. In combination with a latrine having air inlets and outlets arrangedat intervals throughout its length, a Ventilating-duct connecting to theseveral outlets, with a ventilating-shaft, with means for produeingadraft through the same, substantiallyas shown and described.

5. In combination with a latrine having a series of air-outletsconnecting with an airduct common to all of said outlets, one or morevalves arranged to regulate and thereby equalize the draft through theseveral outlets, substantially as shown and described.

In witness whereof we hereunto set our hands in the presence of twowitnesses.

JAMES A. WILLS. LLEVELLYN E. JORDAN. Vitnesses:

EUGENE C. BoNNrwnLL, FRANK KERNAN.

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